10.2023 – Currently

Doctoral studies in the discipline of Chemical Engineering

Cracow University of Technology,

Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Technology

Field of research: photochemistry, 3D printing, polymeric materials, bio-based photoinitiators

02.2022 – 06.2023     

Master’s degree in chemical technology with specialization in Polymer Technology

Cracow University of Technology,

Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Technology

Title of the master thesis: “The use of natural-derived compounds in photoinitiating systems to obtain hydrogel materials by 3D printing”

10.2018 – 02.2022     

Engineering degree in Biotechnology with specialization in Industrial and Environmental Biotechnology

Cracow University of Technology,

Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Technology

Title of engineering thesis: “Synthesis and spectroscopic properties of new pyrrolopyridine derivatives prepared using citric acid”

The main focus of my research interests is the use of naturally derived compounds in both single and multi-component photoinitiating systems, as well as the use of naturally derived monomers as polymer matrices. My research is in line with the recently imposed standards and principles of green chemistry stating the gradual replacement of completely synthetic compounds with their natural or bio-derived alternatives. My research focuses both on studies aimed at determining the spectroscopic characteristics of the studied compounds, kinetic studies to determine the effectiveness of the studied photoinitiators and photoinitiating systems, and application studies on the use of the developed resin formulations to obtain polymeric materials with complex structures by 3D printing techniques. An additional aspect is also the evaluation of the produced materials in terms of their potential applications, which includes both mechanical testing and resolution analysis, as well as cytotoxicity and genotoxicity studies of polymeric materials that may find application as broadly defined biomaterials.

PROJECTS

10.2024 – currently
Project name: “Proof of Concept” from FENG program ‘Innovative iodonium initiators for curing prepreg composite materials by photoinduced frontal polymerization’ (contract number FENG.02.07-IP.05-0074/23)
Project manager: Filip Petko, M.Sc.
Project funding source: FNP – Foundation for Polish Science
Function performed in the project: contractor

10.2023 – currently
Project name: LIDER XIII “Development of a new generation of non-toxic, antibacterial resins together with a 3D printer for the dental industry for obtaining temporary crowns and bridges” (contract number LIDER 13/0156/2022)
Project manager: Monika Topa-Skwarczyńska, PhD, Eng.
Project funding source: NCBiR – National Center for Research and Development
Function performed in the project: contractor

02.2021 – 05.2023
Project name: TEAM TECH “Molecular design, synthesis and application of photoinitiator-catalysts (PICs) for photopolymerization reactions” funded by the Foundation for Polish Science (contract number TEAM TECH/2016-2/15)
Project leader: Joanna Ortyl, Ph.D., Prof. PK
Project funding source: FNP – Foundation for Polish Science
Function performed in the project: contractor

01.2021 – 07.2022
Project name: TANGO 2 “Implementation of photogenerated strong protonic acids (PAG-s) based on innovative accelerating molecules for application in the industry of photocurable polymer coatings.” (contract number TANGO2/340229/NCBR/2017)
Project Manager: Joanna Ortyl, Ph.D., Prof. PK
Project funding source: NCBiR – National Center for Research and Development
Function performed in the project: contractor

AWARDS

(1) Silver medal at the Korea International Women’s Invention Exposition, 10.09.2021, Korea, for the invention titled “Fluorescent Sensors for the Detection of Heavy Metal Ions in Aqueous Media fluorescence imaging”.
Authors: Joanna Ortyl, Katarzyna Starzak, Paweł Niezgoda, Anna Chachaj-Brekiesz, Patryk Szymaszek, Paweł Fiedor, Wiktor Kasprzyk, Tomasz Świergosz, Paulina Koczurkiewicz, Mariusz Galek

(2) Gold medal at the International Warsaw Invention Show (IWIS 2021), 27.10.2021, Warsaw, Poland, for the invention titled “Bio-renovable epoxidized photocurable resins for 3D printing applications”.
Authors: Katarzyna Starzak, Magdalena Jankowska, Dominika Krok, Joanna Ortyl

(3) Bronze medal at the 19th International Innovation Exhibition ARCA 2021, 16.11.2021, Zagreb, Croatia, for the invention titled “New photoinitiating systems applied in photopolymerization processes to obtain polymeric materials of hydrogel consistency”.
Authors: Katarzyna Starzak, Wiktoria Tomal, Joanna Ortyl

(4) Silver medal at the 15th International Invention and Innovation Show INTARG® 2022, 11-12.05.2021, Katowice, Poland, for the invention titled “Innovative photoinitiating systems – new opportunities for the coating industry”
Authors: Wiktoria Tomal, Katarzyna Starzak, Dominika Krok, Jakub Szymański, Jakub Strzała, Szymon Żydowski, Joanna Ortyl

(5) Bronze medal at KIWIE – Korea International Women’s Invention Exposition 2022, 25-27.08.2022, Katowice, Poland, for the invention titled “New photoinitiating systems dedicated to obtaining nanocomposite three-dimensional objects produced by 3D printing technology for use in high-tech industry 4.0”.
Authors: Paweł Niezgoda, Joanna Ortyl, Bartosz Oksiuta, Katarzyna Starzak

(6) Silver medal at KIWIE – Korea International Women’s Invention Exposition 2022, 25-27.08.2022, Katowice, Poland, for the invention titled “Biobased Photocurable Resin Formulation with innovative photoinitating system for 3D Printing”.
Authors: Katarzyna Starzak, Joanna Ortyl, Magdalena Jankowska, Dominika Krok

(7) Silver medal at the International Warsaw Invention Show 2022, 18.10.2022, Warsaw, Poland, for the invention titled “Fluorescent molecular chemosensor to detect and quantify specific reactive oxygen species”.
Authors: Patryk Szymaszek, Patrycja Środa, Katarzyna Starzak, Paweł Niezgoda, Małgorzata Tyszka-Czochara, Anna Chachaj-Brekiesz, Tomasz Świergosz, Joanna Ortyl

(8) Honorable mention for presentation titled: “Light-initiated processes as a tool for obtaining photo-curable polymer composites” at the 7th All-Poland Scientific Circles Session organized by the West Pomeranian University of Technology in Szczecin, Poland

(9) Gold Medal at IPITEX – Thailand Inventors Day in Bangkok 2024, 02-06.02.2024, Bangkok, Thailand,for the invention titled “Novel, non-toxic light-curing dental composites with improved physicochemical and mechanical properties compared to commercially available resins”.
Authors: Monika Topa-Skwarczyńska, Małgorzata Noworyta, Katarzyna Starzak, Karolina Kozanecka, Joanna Ortyl

(10) Diamond award at the 18th International Invention and Innovation Show INTARG® 2024, 03-05.06.2024, Katowice, Poland, for the invention titled “Photo-curable cationic resins for 3D printing of high-resolution prosthetic materials for advanced dentistry.”
Authors: Monika Topa-Skwarczyńska, Katarzyna Starzak, Patryk Szymaszek, Joanna Ortyl

(11) WIPO National Award for Creativity at the 18th International Invention and Innovation Show INTARG® 2024, 03-05.06.2024, Katowice, Poland, for the invention titled “Photo-curable cationic resins for 3D printing of high-resolution prosthetic materials for advanced dentistry.”
Authors: Monika Topa-Skwarczyńska, Katarzyna Starzak, Patryk Szymaszek, Joanna Ortyl

(12) Silver medal at KIWIE – Korea International Women’s Invention Exposition 2024, 20-22.06.2024, Seoul, Korea, for the invention titled “High-performance cationic resins processed by additive manufacturing for advanced dental prosthetics”.
Authors: Katarzyna Starzak, Andrzej Świeży, Mariusz Galek, Monika Topa-Skwarczyńska, Joanna Ortyl

Sawicz-Kryniger K., Niezgoda P., Stalmach P., Starzak K., Wysocka A., Świergosz T., Popielarz R. Performance of FPT, FTIR and DSC methods in cure monitoring of epoxy resins. European Polymer Journal 2022, 162, 110933. Impact Factor: 4.9.

Topa-Skwarczyńska M., Świeży A., Krok D., Starzak K., Niezgoda P., Oksiuta B., Wałczyk W., Ortyl J., Novel Formulations Containing Fluorescent Sensors to Improve the Resolution of 3D Prints. International Journal of Molecular Sciences 2022, 23(18), 10470. Impact Factor: 5.8.

Starzak K., Tomal W., Chachaj-Brekiesz A., Galek M., Ortyl J., Revealing the photoredox potential of azulene derivatives as panchromatic photoinitiators in various light-initiated polymerization processes; Polymer Chemistry 2024, 15, 2931-2948. Impact Factor: 4.1.

Jamróz P., Świeży A., Noworyta M., Starzak K., Środa P., Wielgus W., Szymaszek P., Tyszka-Czochara M., Ortyl J., Photocurable biomaterials labeled with luminescent sensors dedicated to bioprinting; Journal of Biotechnology 2024, 395, 122-140. Impact Factor: 4.1